Various devices have been disclosed in the prior art for use by male patients afflicted with urinary incontinence as a result of injury, disease, advanced age, or any other cause. U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,450 discloses a drainage device in the form of a penile sheath connected to a flexible tube leading to a suitable receptacle, the sheath being held in place by drawstrings which may be tied together to produce a secure fit. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,857, elastic adhesive tape is wrapped about the sheath in place of drawstrings, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,638 a liner is disposed beneath the sheath to reduce leakage and promote patient comfort. U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,851 discloses a method of forming such a liner in place by wrapping the penile shaft with a double-faced adhesive strip prior to application of the elastic sheath.
Those devices that have the advantage of being easily and quickly applied tend to be less effective in terms of retention and prevention of fluid backup, whereas those that are more satisfactory in the latter respects are often relatively difficult to apply and more likely to cause patient discomfort and urethral constriction. Ease of application and removal are particularly important because an incontinent patient may have other disabilities that make complicated manipulations difficult if not impossible to perform. Other patents reflecting the state of the art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,421,504, 3,526,227, 2,976,869, 3,339,551, 3,364,932, 3,721,243, 3,631,857, 3,788,324, 3,511,241, 3,742,953, and 2,891,546.